Cilantro Indian Bistro & Bar in Ellsworth, Maine

Cilantro Indian Bistro & Bar has filled a real gap in Ellsworth since opening. The kitchen turns out proper North Indian food, spice levels dialed in, portions bigger than they look on the menu. You'll see repeat customers in here a week after their first visit, and staff like Rishi remember your name. It's the kind of place that makes locals stop craving what they can't find anywhere else in town.

• Authentic flavors, generous portions, reasonable prices.
• Goat biryani and goan vindaloo show real kitchen skill.
• Staff treats regulars like they matter.
• First serious Indian spot in Ellsworth since Serendib closed.

Start with paneer tikka and samosa chaat if you want to graze. The goat biryani is worth the order, and the chicken tandoori comes out moist and right. Lamb laal maas is a chef's special that shows up when they have it. Palak paneer (spinach and cheese) eats like comfort, chicken tikka masala is the safe play that's still genuinely good. Get a plain naan or two and order the rice pudding if there's room.

Bright and welcoming without being fussy. Conversation-level noise, room enough to breathe.

The menu covers the standards you'd want, executed at a level that matters. Goat biryani, chicken tandoori, goan vindaloo, palak paneer, chicken tikka masala. The chef clearly has technique. Ask for medium heat on anything marked spicy and you'll get warmth that supports the other flavors, not drowns them. Naan comes buttered and garlic, rice pudding comes warm. Masala chai at the end costs almost nothing and tastes like someone cared.

Guests say the flavors taste authentic and the portions look modest until they hit your table. Staff moves at a pace that lets you enjoy yourself. One recent visitor noted the service was attentive without hovering. People come back in the same week they first tried it.